Below is a summarised breakdown:<\/p>\n
1. Key Findings<\/h3>\nWorkforce size & growth:<\/h4>\n\n- The ECI workforce grew from 83,600 in 2021 to 94,680 in 2024 (+13.2%) and is projected to grow another 11.7% by 2027.<\/li>\n
- The nuclear sector surpassed oil & gas as the largest employer, accounting for 39.2% of the workforce in 2024.<\/li>\n
- The renewables sector has nearly doubled in workforce share, reaching 6.2%.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.pbctoday.co.uk\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Screenshot-2025-01-16-at-11.12.12-300x233.png\")
<\/p>\n
Geographic distribution:<\/h4>\n\n- England accounts for 70.8% of the workforce, with major hotspots in the North West, Humber Estuary, and Reading-London axes.<\/li>\n
- Scotland represents 17% of the workforce, focusing on the Central Belt and Aberdeen.<\/li>\n
- Offshore workers account for 9.9% of the workforce.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Occupational shifts:<\/h4>\n\n- Growth in management roles (+2.7%) and craft roles (+1.2%) reflects recovery from the pandemic and increased project activity.<\/li>\n
- Technicians and engineers saw slight declines, reflecting industry shifts.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
2. Demographics<\/h3>\nAge profile:<\/h4>\n\n- The workforce is aging, with 14.7% over 60 (up from 11.6% in 2021). Younger workers (under 30) increased slightly to 16.8%.<\/li>\n
- Roles like platers, welders, and pipefitters have a higher proportion of older workers, raising concerns about skill transfer.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Gender:<\/h4>\n\n- Women now represent 16.9% of the workforce, up from 13.8% in 2021, but disparities remain across roles and regions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.pbctoday.co.uk\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Screenshot-2025-01-16-at-11.11.28-300x263.png\")
<\/p>\n
Ethnicity:<\/h4>\n\n- Workforce diversity has improved but remains lower than the economically active UK population. Regional variations are stark (e.g., London is more diverse than other regions).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.pbctoday.co.uk\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Screenshot-2025-01-16-at-11.09.58-300x121.png\")
<\/p>\n
3. Hiring challenges<\/h3>\nRecruitment issues:<\/h4>\n\n- 71% of employers reported hiring difficulties in 2024 (up from 53% in 2021).
\nKey barriers include skill shortages, mismatched worker expectations, and geographic mobility issues.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nHard-to-fill roles:<\/h4>\n\n- Positions like pipefitters, welders, commissioning engineers, and project managers are particularly difficult to recruit for.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
4. Sector-specific insights<\/h3>\n\n- The nuclear sector is a key growth area due to new projects and decommissioning.<\/li>\n
- The oil & gas sector is transitioning toward decommissioning, with moderate workforce growth.<\/li>\n
- Hydrogen and carbon capture sectors are emerging but constrained by delayed investments.<\/li>\n
- Renewables growth is driven by offshore wind and biomass but depends heavily on local manufacturing.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.pbctoday.co.uk\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Screenshot-2025-01-16-at-11.12.31-300x166.png\")
<\/p>\n
Recommendations<\/h3>\n
The report highlights several key strategies to address challenges and seize opportunities in the engineering construction industry (ECI):<\/p>\n
1. Succession planning<\/h3>\n\n- Tackling the Aging Workforce: With 14.7% of workers over 60, there is a pressing need for targeted efforts to:<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n- \n
\n- Transfer skills from older workers to younger employees.<\/li>\n
- Invest in apprenticeship programs and mentoring initiatives to ensure critical roles (e.g., pipefitters, welders, and platers) are not left vacant as senior workers retire.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
2. Strengthen training and development<\/h3>\n\n- Upskilling for Growth Sectors: The shift toward renewable energy, hydrogen, and carbon capture demands a workforce equipped with specialised skills.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n- \n
\n- Employers should prioritise training in sectors like offshore wind, biomass, and carbon capture.<\/li>\n
- Leverage the ECITB\u2019s Labour Forecasting Tool to anticipate regional skill gaps and prepare workforce pipelines.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n- Digital Skills Training: The adoption of digital technologies in project planning and management requires upskilling in areas like automation and data analytics.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
3. Diversity and inclusion initiatives<\/h3>\n\n- Gender Representation: Women now make up 16.9% of the workforce, but more progress is needed to reduce gender disparities in traditionally male-dominated roles.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n- \n
\n- Employers should design targeted recruitment campaigns and create supportive environments to attract and retain women in the industry.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n- Ethnic Diversity: Ethnic diversity has improved but is inconsistent across regions. Efforts should focus on aligning workforce representation with local populations.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n- \n
\n- Employers can conduct regional recruitment drives and community engagement to attract a more representative workforce.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
4. Addressing recruitment challenges<\/h3>\n\n- Develop strategies to overcome barriers such as:<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n- \n
\n- Skill shortages: Partner with vocational training providers to certify workers in high-demand roles like pipefitting, welding, and project management.<\/li>\n
- Geographic mobility issues: Offer incentives such as relocation packages or remote work options where feasible.<\/li>\n
- Worker expectations vs. employer offerings: Focus on improving job security, lifestyle benefits, and progression opportunities to attract younger workers.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
5. Collaboration with government and industry<\/h3>\n\n- Engage with government programs and funding initiatives to:<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n- \n
\n- Support projects in green energy and decommissioning.<\/li>\n
- Align workforce training with national targets, such as achieving Net Zero emissions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Outlook for 2024-2027<\/h3>\n
The industry anticipates significant changes in the coming years:<\/p>\n
1. Workforce growth<\/h4>\n\n- The workforce is expected to grow by 11.7% by 2027, with key contributions from:<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n- \n
\n- Expansion of the nuclear sector, driven by large-scale projects and modular reactors.<\/li>\n
- Renewables, particularly offshore wind, biomass, and energy-from-waste projects.<\/li>\n
- Emerging sectors like hydrogen and carbon capture, though growth depends on final investment decisions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
2. Evolving Sector Dynamics<\/h3>\n\n- \n
Nuclear Sector:<\/h4>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n- \n
\n- Expected to remain the largest employer, with growth fueled by new installations and decommissioning work.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n- \n
Oil & Gas:<\/h4>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n- \n
\n- A continued shift toward decommissioning North Sea assets is anticipated. Workforce needs may decline slightly post-2025 as projects wrap up.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- \n
- The ECI workforce grew from 83,600 in 2021 to 94,680 in 2024 (+13.2%) and is projected to grow another 11.7% by 2027.<\/li>\n
- The nuclear sector surpassed oil & gas as the largest employer, accounting for 39.2% of the workforce in 2024.<\/li>\n
- The renewables sector has nearly doubled in workforce share, reaching 6.2%.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/p>\n
Geographic distribution:<\/h4>\n
- \n
- England accounts for 70.8% of the workforce, with major hotspots in the North West, Humber Estuary, and Reading-London axes.<\/li>\n
- Scotland represents 17% of the workforce, focusing on the Central Belt and Aberdeen.<\/li>\n
- Offshore workers account for 9.9% of the workforce.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Occupational shifts:<\/h4>\n
- \n
- Growth in management roles (+2.7%) and craft roles (+1.2%) reflects recovery from the pandemic and increased project activity.<\/li>\n
- Technicians and engineers saw slight declines, reflecting industry shifts.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
2. Demographics<\/h3>\n
Age profile:<\/h4>\n
- \n
- The workforce is aging, with 14.7% over 60 (up from 11.6% in 2021). Younger workers (under 30) increased slightly to 16.8%.<\/li>\n
- Roles like platers, welders, and pipefitters have a higher proportion of older workers, raising concerns about skill transfer.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Gender:<\/h4>\n
- \n
- Women now represent 16.9% of the workforce, up from 13.8% in 2021, but disparities remain across roles and regions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/p>\n
Ethnicity:<\/h4>\n
- \n
- Workforce diversity has improved but remains lower than the economically active UK population. Regional variations are stark (e.g., London is more diverse than other regions).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/p>\n
3. Hiring challenges<\/h3>\n
Recruitment issues:<\/h4>\n
- \n
- 71% of employers reported hiring difficulties in 2024 (up from 53% in 2021).
\nKey barriers include skill shortages, mismatched worker expectations, and geographic mobility issues.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nHard-to-fill roles:<\/h4>\n
- \n
- Positions like pipefitters, welders, commissioning engineers, and project managers are particularly difficult to recruit for.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
4. Sector-specific insights<\/h3>\n
- \n
- The nuclear sector is a key growth area due to new projects and decommissioning.<\/li>\n
- The oil & gas sector is transitioning toward decommissioning, with moderate workforce growth.<\/li>\n
- Hydrogen and carbon capture sectors are emerging but constrained by delayed investments.<\/li>\n
- Renewables growth is driven by offshore wind and biomass but depends heavily on local manufacturing.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/p>\n
Recommendations<\/h3>\n
The report highlights several key strategies to address challenges and seize opportunities in the engineering construction industry (ECI):<\/p>\n
1. Succession planning<\/h3>\n
- \n
- Tackling the Aging Workforce: With 14.7% of workers over 60, there is a pressing need for targeted efforts to:<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- \n
- \n
- \n
- Transfer skills from older workers to younger employees.<\/li>\n
- Invest in apprenticeship programs and mentoring initiatives to ensure critical roles (e.g., pipefitters, welders, and platers) are not left vacant as senior workers retire.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
2. Strengthen training and development<\/h3>\n
- \n
- Upskilling for Growth Sectors: The shift toward renewable energy, hydrogen, and carbon capture demands a workforce equipped with specialised skills.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- \n
- \n
- \n
- Employers should prioritise training in sectors like offshore wind, biomass, and carbon capture.<\/li>\n
- Leverage the ECITB\u2019s Labour Forecasting Tool to anticipate regional skill gaps and prepare workforce pipelines.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- \n
- Digital Skills Training: The adoption of digital technologies in project planning and management requires upskilling in areas like automation and data analytics.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
3. Diversity and inclusion initiatives<\/h3>\n
- \n
- Gender Representation: Women now make up 16.9% of the workforce, but more progress is needed to reduce gender disparities in traditionally male-dominated roles.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- \n
- \n
- \n
- Employers should design targeted recruitment campaigns and create supportive environments to attract and retain women in the industry.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- \n
- Ethnic Diversity: Ethnic diversity has improved but is inconsistent across regions. Efforts should focus on aligning workforce representation with local populations.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- \n
- \n
- \n
- Employers can conduct regional recruitment drives and community engagement to attract a more representative workforce.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
4. Addressing recruitment challenges<\/h3>\n
- \n
- Develop strategies to overcome barriers such as:<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- \n
- \n
- \n
- Skill shortages: Partner with vocational training providers to certify workers in high-demand roles like pipefitting, welding, and project management.<\/li>\n
- Geographic mobility issues: Offer incentives such as relocation packages or remote work options where feasible.<\/li>\n
- Worker expectations vs. employer offerings: Focus on improving job security, lifestyle benefits, and progression opportunities to attract younger workers.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
5. Collaboration with government and industry<\/h3>\n
- \n
- Engage with government programs and funding initiatives to:<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- \n
- \n
- \n
- Support projects in green energy and decommissioning.<\/li>\n
- Align workforce training with national targets, such as achieving Net Zero emissions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Outlook for 2024-2027<\/h3>\n
The industry anticipates significant changes in the coming years:<\/p>\n
1. Workforce growth<\/h4>\n
- \n
- The workforce is expected to grow by 11.7% by 2027, with key contributions from:<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- \n
- \n
- \n
- Expansion of the nuclear sector, driven by large-scale projects and modular reactors.<\/li>\n
- Renewables, particularly offshore wind, biomass, and energy-from-waste projects.<\/li>\n
- Emerging sectors like hydrogen and carbon capture, though growth depends on final investment decisions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
2. Evolving Sector Dynamics<\/h3>\n
- \n
- \n
Nuclear Sector:<\/h4>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- \n
- \n
- \n
- Expected to remain the largest employer, with growth fueled by new installations and decommissioning work.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- \n
- \n
Oil & Gas:<\/h4>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- \n
- \n
- \n
- A continued shift toward decommissioning North Sea assets is anticipated. Workforce needs may decline slightly post-2025 as projects wrap up.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- \n
- \n
- Expected to remain the largest employer, with growth fueled by new installations and decommissioning work.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- \n
- \n
- \n
- The workforce is expected to grow by 11.7% by 2027, with key contributions from:<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- \n
- Engage with government programs and funding initiatives to:<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- \n
- Develop strategies to overcome barriers such as:<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Employers can conduct regional recruitment drives and community engagement to attract a more representative workforce.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- \n
- Ethnic Diversity: Ethnic diversity has improved but is inconsistent across regions. Efforts should focus on aligning workforce representation with local populations.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Employers should design targeted recruitment campaigns and create supportive environments to attract and retain women in the industry.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- \n
- Gender Representation: Women now make up 16.9% of the workforce, but more progress is needed to reduce gender disparities in traditionally male-dominated roles.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Digital Skills Training: The adoption of digital technologies in project planning and management requires upskilling in areas like automation and data analytics.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- \n
- Upskilling for Growth Sectors: The shift toward renewable energy, hydrogen, and carbon capture demands a workforce equipped with specialised skills.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- \n
- Tackling the Aging Workforce: With 14.7% of workers over 60, there is a pressing need for targeted efforts to:<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Positions like pipefitters, welders, commissioning engineers, and project managers are particularly difficult to recruit for.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- 71% of employers reported hiring difficulties in 2024 (up from 53% in 2021).
- Workforce diversity has improved but remains lower than the economically active UK population. Regional variations are stark (e.g., London is more diverse than other regions).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Women now represent 16.9% of the workforce, up from 13.8% in 2021, but disparities remain across roles and regions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n